The complete skeletal remains of the “Well Man”
Age Hojem, NTNU University Museum
A fascinating discovery has shed light on an ancient Norwegian saga that dates back over 800 years. The saga, known as the Sverris saga, recounts the story of a dead man who was thrown into a castle well. Researchers now believe they have identified the remains of this mysterious individual.
The saga describes how a rival clan attacked Sverresborg castle near Trondheim, Norway, and disposed of a dead man by tossing him into the castle well and filling it with stones. This macabre act, detailed in the saga, has intrigued historians for centuries.
In 1938, during an excavation at the ruins of Sverresborg castle, a skeleton was uncovered at the bottom of a medieval well. Referred to as the “Well Man,” there was speculation that this skeleton could be the same individual mentioned in the ancient saga. However, it wasn’t until recently that advancements in technology allowed for a more definitive analysis.
Researchers, led by Anna Petersén from the Norwegian Institute of Cultural Heritage Research, utilized radiocarbon dating and DNA analysis to determine the age of the skeleton and compare it to the events described in the saga. The results indicated that the timeframe aligns with the historical account, providing strong evidence that the Well Man could indeed be the individual thrown into the well.
Further analysis of the DNA revealed intriguing details about the Well Man. He likely had blue eyes and blond or light-brown hair, characteristics that offer a glimpse into his appearance. The DNA also suggested that his ancestry traced back to Vest-Agder, the southernmost county in Norway.
While the researchers couldn’t definitively prove the motive behind throwing the man into the well, they also found no evidence to discount the theory of it being an early form of biological warfare. The mystery surrounding this ancient event continues to intrigue scholars and historians.
Michael Martin, a researcher at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, commended the team for their innovative approach in combining historical accounts with genetic evidence. He believes that this methodology could be applied to unravel other mysteries from the past, such as reconstructing royal family trees or tracing the movements of ancient individuals.
This groundbreaking study represents one of the oldest cases where genomic information has been extracted from an ancient text character, providing new insights and enriching our understanding of this ancient saga.
